Full Length

My mother is approaching 92 and yet has just started using a cane; not that she needs one.  It just gives her a little confidence when she’s perambulating.

The cane itself is of an unknown hardwood that I picked up somewhere thinking, “That might make a nice cane or walking stick.”  The handle is a solid brass representation of an unknown bird.  It’s heavy enough to make the cane a weapon if some of those dudes who live in the assisted living place get any ideas.

I did a little carving on it.  I put her maiden name on one side and her married name on the other.  I stained the letters a little to make them stand out.  I finished it with a coat of wax polished to a high luster.

Old photo of a "relief" version of the star pattern

My next projects will be some bolo ties, a cane, and a walking stick.  I will, of course, post the photos here.

A Bevy of Buckles

This batch of buckles is obviously from the same pattern.  But, since they are carved separately, each is subtly different.  They are all made of mesquite so the color is similar but the patterns of grain are unique to each piece.  Each is a little different in thickness and shape.  The two constants in all three are the incised “Texas” and the brass inlaid silhouette of the state – instantly recognized by the majority of the world’s population.  I have also done this pattern with inlaid bone silhouettes of Texas.

All three were done for the same client to be distributed, I think, as gifts to some of the men in his family.  Recently, I have completed five buckles from this pattern and I am anxious to carve something different (variety, as you know, is the spice).

This project will be placed in their showroom as a demonstration piece.  Check out their website at http://doublediamondsigns.com.

The substrate is mahogany with a walnut stain and polyurethane finish.  The letters are all hand-carved and gilded with genuine 23 K gold leaf.

Come by Joe and Stacey’s place at 3241 South 1st Street  Abilene, TX 79605 (325) 673-8700 and have an “up close and personal” look.

I enjoy the process very much: selecting the wood, forming the blanks and carving the details.  I enjoy the distinctive smell of the wood.  It is very rewarding to take a piece of rough wood and turn it into a shining object of art.   I have recently had several requests for these buckles as gifts.  Each buckle is highly polished and finished with multiple coats of Danish Oil.

I have been making mesquite buckles of various designs for years but neglected to photograph them.  These are the first photos of my recent projects.  Stay tuned for more.

"Texas" incised with brass insert

"Texas" in relief with a bone (deer skull) insert

As readers of “Whitticisms” will remember, someone stacked a pile of junk lumber in front of my shop.  In case you missed it, you can see it here.  All of it is destined for the fireplace or, in the case of the plywood, fiberboard, chipboard etc., the garbage.  That is, all of it except one board, which knew a former life as a frame for a waterbed.  It was pretty thick, crack-less and with only two knots.  So, I decided to do something with it.

I wanted a unique header for my refurbished gardening blog so, I decided a hand-carved sign might be nice.  So, I set to work cutting the blank, sanding, routing, applying polyurethane, masking, applying the pattern, carving, staining the incised letters and, finally, outlining the letters to make them stand out.

As I worked, I remembered why I hate carving regular pine (as opposed to sugar pine which carves quite nicely).  It is an unpredictable wood, often brittle, and will sometimes “shred” under the sharpest of tools.  The knots are almost impossible to carve without them crumbling like a cookie.  But, I eventually finished the process, photographed it for my garden site, and I hope you like the result.

In the shop on the easel

This was the process:

1. Determine the length needed for my friend (he is very tall)
2. Flatten the top of both sides of the staff for the alpha and omega symbol
3. Drill hole for leather thong
4. Carve the hand grip immediately below the symbol
5. Select font for letters
6. Determine size of each name and make paper printouts for each one
7. Flatten the segments on the staff where the names will go and sand them very smooth
8. Glue the paper patterns to each segment
9. Carve each name (incised)
10. Shape the lower part of the staff and fit the brass tip
11. Sand the entire staff (3 different grits) while removing as much of the stringy bark as possible
12. Apply Danish oil to entire staff as instructions direct and allow to dry for 10 hours
13. Fill the carved letters with burnt umber oil paint and wipe off excess to make letters stand out
14. Attach brass tip and leather thong
15. Allow further drying time for oil paint

It was a drawn-out and exacting process but very satisfying.  My friend seems very pleased along with his wife and friends who have seen it which makes me very pleased as well!

Weather-beaten and in need of a little love

My shop sign has braved the elements for at least twenty years.  It was showing the wear and tear of the rain, snow and wind.  It was time to give it new life.  So I took it down and began the process of sanding, filling, priming, coating and renewing some of the gold leaf.  It was a bigger job than I anticipated but it is now back up on my shop, pointing the way to the door.  I have posted some before and after pictures.  Family, friends and neighbors have been suitably impressed and I must say I am proud of the results.

Damage up close

All Done!